


Learning to Live Again

by Pixelatedperils



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Nonbinary Character, Rocket coming to terms with Groot's death, Rocket starting to learn how to be happy, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 19:36:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18556417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixelatedperils/pseuds/Pixelatedperils
Summary: Everything is fine. Groot is back and Rocket couldn't be happier. Rocket can't keep lying to himself like this.





	Learning to Live Again

**Author's Note:**

> A little late, but I'm not over this. Not beta'd. Feel free to comment and cry with me.

Rocket knew Groot well. From the ridges of their bark to the inflections of their voice, Rocket knew. Now though, Rocket was sure. Groot still had the same ridges and mannerisms and inflections and that look they always gave Rocker when he was working too hard. But he wasn't sure if it was his Groot. 

This one was tiny and squeaky. They followed Rocket and listened to him, but not like before. Don't get it wrong, Rocket was overjoyed that Groot was still alive. That Groot could take part in whatever shenanigans this gang of assholes would stumble across.

Except, maybe Groot couldn't do any of that anymore. Groot was gone. The only things that still tied them to this shit-hole of a reality was the fact that Rocket couldn't let go! Rocket wanted to move on, he really did. Many nights he thought of just wandering off from the group on a supply run. He would cause chaos and eventually steal a ship. And if he was thrown in prison, he would just break out like always. 

Nah, Rocket could never do that. It was their face. Their face full of trust and hope and something he couldn't quite name. The same face that kept scrounging up his memories of his dead partner. No, his dead friend. His dead... something more. 

These thoughts of escape kept him awake at night, along with a myriad of other shit. Groot was dead, so Rocket was left to pick up the pieces of himself. The other assholes were okay, a rag-tag bunch of idiots bouncing from to planet to planet. Hell, Rocket might even say that he's happy. Not that he would ever tell anyone, let alone Quill. The bastard would get all weird and smiley, might even throw a party to celebrate Rocket not being such a crusty douche. He definitely wouldn't tell Quill.

He felt trapped sometimes. Trapped on the Milano. Trapped by Not-Groot and his "friends." Sometimes it got so bad he lost focus. First he would run his fingers through his hair. Next, he'd start thinking real hard and get sucked into a chasm of "what-ifs" and regrets. The next thing he knew, there was an abandoned project in front of him and some bloody spots on his face. With a sigh he would get up and go interact with the other. At least their noise drowned out everything else.

Not-Groot learned to walk fairly quickly, much to everyone's delight. Now they were an unholy terror on two legs. Rocket sometimes couldn't help but smile at the chaos caused. Their penchant for chewing holes in Quill's socks was especially amusing. 

But then his stupid brain had to ruin things. He didn't deserve to be happy. He killed Groot, along with other faceless individuals that didn't matter, yet he was still here. Whenever he smiled at the little sapling guilt gnawed at his insides. He didn't deserve this. Didn't deserve to be happy, content, and feeling fuzzy inside. 

Despite Rocket's insistence on living in the past, life moved on. Those assholes became friends. The Milano became more than a place to sleep. The creaking of vents and rusted bolts in the hangar became familiar in a way he never knew before. Even baby Groot became familiar. He wasn't sure when it happened. 

Between one day and the next, Rocket realized that Groot wouldn't want him to live as a mopey mess for the rest of his life. So, Rocket lived and tried not to be a dick. Well, more so than usual. Sure, he was still clinging to the past he shared with Groot, but the future with little Groot became less grim. With a newfound motivation to not die in a heap somewhere, Rocket actually interacted with new Groot. 

Soon, he had become some type of parental figure to baby Groot. So, he lived for baby Groot and keeping them safe. But he never did forget Groot, he just couldn't. Maybe someday Rocket would live for himself. Maybe he would let go of all the bullshit he put up with and all the ghosts of his past. 

Except, maybe Rocket couldn't do any of that anymore. His previous life was still hellish and plagued him with nightmares. Despite that, Groot wasn't gone. They were in his memories and in the face of baby Groot. Also, baby Groot, Gamora, Peter, and Drax were there. It would take some effort, but Rocket had a kid to raise. At least he had help. At least he wasn't alone.

And so, Rocket allowed himself to try out this whole 'happiness' thing for a change. Without a doubt, Groot was proud of him.


End file.
